What is CAE? Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) is a viral infection of goats. It can cause chronic arthritis, although not all goats that become infected with the CAE virus progress to disease. It can also cause encephalitis in kids, although this is more rare. The CAE virus is primarily transmitted from dams to kids via colostrum and milk.

Management of CAE among goat breeders varies. Some breeders ignore the infection and cull diseased animals. Others choose to hand deliver and hand raise all kids on heat treated colostrum and pasteurized milk.

We have chosen to raise our kids on their dams, which have been tested CAE negative. We test annually for CAE, using the ELISA test through the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, usually in the late fall or early winter before each kidding season.